If your veterinary hospital isn’t using Facebook in 2019, something is wrong. It’s free to use and can reap wonderful benefits if you put some time into it. The WhiskerCloud social media team constantly makes magic and drives new business for our clients by creating compelling and interesting content on Facebook and other social media channels. The amazing team at Social Media Today compiled 9 interesting stats about Facebook use in 2019, and we want to help you understand what it means for the veterinary industry.

1. 39% of Facebook users say that they follow Facebook Business Pages because they want to receive special offers

Do you offer your clients specials on Facebook? Whether or not you’re interested in running specials, giving a little extra something to your clients on Facebook is a great way to keep them engaged and have them checking back often for specials. This is also a wonderful way to grow your Facebook fan list – remind them in-hospital to like the page to be the first to know about upcoming specials like “20% off dental cleanings” or “free nail trims for every patient that visits during a specific time period.”

2. A post’s average organic reach is only around 6.4% of the page’s total likes

You’ve heard the rumors, and it appears they are true. What does this mean for veterinary hospitals? It may be time to start thinking about Facebook advertising. Even a small amount of your overall marketing budget may be a good way to promote specials, services, and events happening inside the hospital. Both boosted posts and ongoing ads are a great way to keep the reach and impressions high on your Facebook page.

3. 47% of Facebook users only access the site through the mobile app

What does this mean for your content creation? Just like your website – think mobile. When creating content, think mobile. That means images with a ton of small text probably aren’t great for half of your users. Also consider the length of your posts, as you’ll want to avoid read more buttons on mobile devices.

4. One study says that the most effective length for Facebook ad titles is four words, with 15-word link descriptions

Whether it’s Facebook posts or Facebook ads, be quick, concise, and be sure to let your creative (photo/video) do the speaking for you. Focus on copy that leads to clicks.

5. Videos with auto-playing sound annoy 80% of users

It’s time to start adding captions or subtitles to your videos, period. Most people are surfing the internet in public on their mobile device, and will most likely do so with the sound off. You can always add the “sound up” icon to your Instagram stories or Facebook posts, too.

6. Videos with closed captions increase viewing time by about 12%

As we said above, make sure that your videos have captions in case the sound is off on the user’s device. We want to make sure people can watch a video on brushing their pet’s teeth, and be able to absorb information with or without sound.

7. Your video ad has about three seconds to capture viewer attention

Most humans don’t have a big attention sp-SQUIRREL! Apparently, you have just three seconds to catch someone’s attention, so make sure your video is attention-grabbing from the first moment someone hits play.

8. Shorter posts get nearly 23% more interaction than longer Facebook posts

Another reminder that short and sweet wins the marketing battle. Have great photos or videos catch attention, and then encourage the click-through with a strong call-to-action back to your website. After all, we’re all just trying to drive traffic to your website for conversion purposes.

9. Video posts get more shares than any other post type

Photos are great, but it appears that video reigns supreme. Stats don’t lie, “the average video share count is about 89.5 shares.” That is a ton of shares. Plus, you’re surrounded by adorable animals and smart people all day who are full of knowledge – creating content that resonates with your users and helps grow your brand is easy. Grab the doctor and do a Q&A on dental health care – or a have a nutrition specialist talk about specialty diets. Giving away valuable information is the key to going viral.

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